A recent study pointed at fatal levels of arsenic found in water resources
ISLAMABAD: Relevant to development and progress is sustained development so that future generations get their needs catered with the given scarce natural resources. But the government’s policy plans certainly miss out on the longevity and sustainability of the developmental projects being put into effect. A policy failure in one realm creates a domino effect, going down from macro to micro level.
Unfortunately, in Pakistan less thought is put into the sustainability study of a project. Succeeding governments approve of projects which are expected to generate substantial revenues or strengthen their political traction.
A recent study pointed at fatal levels of arsenic found in water resources, government’s failure to curtail the intrusion of the chemical element into drinkable water will not only result in population being effected by severe water-borne diseases but agricultural resources irrigated with the same will be contaminated and non-consumable in the long run — this will be disastrous for a country where approximately 48% of the land is utilised for agricultural purposes.
Similarly, with threatening levels of pollution and carbon emissions the government’s macro policy for the finance sector must cut down on the procedural ease with which a vehicle is borrowed from a bank or financial institution in lieu of monthly installments. Such commutation trends might predict improved living standards along with an improved traffic management system that currently may possess infrastructural damage in the long run.
An indicator to improved living standards is GDP, which estimates the worth of the produce in an economy in a given time period and by extension measures the income of the individuals in that country. Far-sighted employment policy would not solely rely on current figures of economic produce. As in the case of CPEC, economic indicators might predict higher figures, however, with majority of the employees being Chinese citizens and with earnings being sent back to their country, Pakistan’s economy shall face even increased levels of unemployment.
Conclusively, the worsening economy and deteriorating living standards are an outcome of the policies formulated to cater to a limited period of time and short-term gains.
Maryam Alvi
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2017.
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